On The Edge
by crematosis
Summary: Fayt, a depressed highachieving college student forms an unlikely friendship with Albel, a wellknown bully. Together they work on curing fayt's selfdestructive behavior.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Poor fayt...I always like to cast him in angsty roles and torture situations. This one is a little bit of both...I think. Anyway, I still think it works and hopefully you do too.

Disclaimer: I own...diddly squat! How exciting.

Fayt had to be the strangest person Albel had ever met. He was a young, clean-cut college student. Straight A's, student leadership, honors classes, captain of the debate team, community service volunteer. He was a perfect role model. He certainly had no business being where he was.

This was Albel's alley, where Albel hung out to ditch classes and smoke. Everyone in the college town knew to avoid the street. But here was Fayt, completely oblivious to the danger he was in. Albel was likely to beat him up. He was a college student too. He as the captain of most of the sports teams, but he wasn't a team player. At one time or another he had been kicked off teams or disciplined for his attitude. If Albel was in a bad mood, anyone who came close to him was likely to get killed. Albel was in a bad mood pretty often so most people preferred to avoid him, just in case.

Yet here was Fayt. He probably though Albel was lonely or needed a friend. Albel scoffed at the idea. He didn't need anyone. He stamped out his cigarette as he watched Fayt walk down the alley towards him cheerfully. Albel was feeling generous. If the boy was just passing though, Albel would let him go, but if he tried to talk to him, Albel would spit on him to discourage any future attempts to be friendly.

Fayt stopped about a foot away from Albel, tightly clutching his books to his chest. "Please beat me up," Fayt said softly.

Albel raised an eyebrow. "Why should I? You haven't done anything worth the effort."

Fayt sighed. "Please just do it. I-I'll pay you ten bucks."

"Do you think I need the money that badly" Albel asked indignantly. "You're supposed to scream and struggle and then I take your money from you. You don't just roll over and give it to me without a fight."

Fayt smiled. "Good, you're getting mad. That's a good sign."

"What the hell is wrong with you? Do you have a death wish or something?"

"If I said yes, would you hurt me?"

Albel snorted. "You're supposed to be a perfect student. Now go and look for trouble somewhere else."

"But…Albel, isn't it?" Fayt crept closer and tentatively placed his hand on Albel's shoulder.

Albel jerked away with a scowl. "Don't touch me!" he growled.

Fayt's eyes lit up. "Come on, you're almost there." He reached out his hand a second time."

Albel swatted the hand away angrily. "Goddamn. Fine, give e the damn money and I'll do it. Then will you leave me alone?"

Fayt beamed. "Yes, sit. That's all I want." He unfolded a crumpled ten and handed it to Albel who immediately pocketed it.

Fayt stood completely still s Albel made a fist. He didn't even flinch as Albel's fist connected with his nose. But as Albel's hand dropped back, Fayt blinked in surprise.

Fayt reached up a hand to tentatively touch his nose. "Ooh, I'm bleeding," he said happily.

Albel snorted and lit up another cigarette.

"Is that it?" Fayt asked mournfully.

"For ten bucks, yes," Albel said irritably. "Now get lost."

"Oh," Fayt said softly. He sighed and trudged away.

The next day, Fayt was back with forty dollars.

Albel let out an exasperated groan. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I brought more money," Fayt said hopefully.

"Why do you want me to beat you so badly? You've got to be insane. No normal person likes pain."

Fayt shrugged. "Well, I guess I'm not normal. But that's okay. I've accepted that."

"Why aren't you like all the other weirdos? Can't you cut yourself or do something about your pain cravings without involving me?"

"Because I'm lonely."

"Go get a girlfriend then," Albel snarled.

"I'm not particularly into girls," Fayt said softly. "Many girls I know wouldn't spend time with me because they're too materialistic."

"Sounds like exactly the type of girl you need, one that'll make you feel miserable."

Fayt frowned. "Besides, I couldn't give them any lover or attention. I'm too emotionally numb and besides, I have too much to do."

"You always find time to pester me."

"That's because I need to see you. I have to have pain just to make sure I'm still alive, that I can still feel."

"Damn, I thought I knocked sense into you yesterday but now you're worse. It's rather ironic that I should say this, but you need some serious help."

"Oh no, I don't need counseling or anything," Fayt said softly. "I just need some kind of pain to break the emptiness in my life."

"Emptiness? Shit, you're busy with all your advanced classes and stuff. How do you find time to be miserable?"

"That's the point. I don't want my whole life to be difficult classes and peer counseling. It's not boring, but it's rather repetitive. Nothing makes me feel anything anymore except pain. It hurts, but it makes me happy that I still feel."

Albel sighed. "What do you want me to do about your problem?"

Fayt smiled and pressed two twenties into Albel's hand. "You like to hurt people and I like to be hurt. It's a fair trade. And this time, I get four punches, right? Or maybe you can break an arm or crack a rib. Something that will last for awhile."

Albel groaned and once again stuffed the money in his pocket. "Okay, Fayt. Have it your way."

Albel pulled a knife out of his pocket, rolling his eyes at Fayt's delight. He aimed a kick at Fayt's chest, knocking him onto his back. Albel grabbed the front of Fayt's shirt and ripped in open and then drew a long, shallow cut down Fayt's chest. He yanked Fayt back to his feet and shoved him away.

Fayt smiled broadly. "Wow, I sure got my money's worth. Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah. Now just leave me alone."

"See you tomorrow,' Fayt said cheerfully. "And he ran off before Albel could protest.

"Damn that kid,' Albel grumbled. He sighed heavily. "Oh well, at least I know where I'll get my cigarette money from."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Fayt and Albel are back and Albel gets to torture Fayt again. Poor Fayt. Oh well, he likes it. And yes, I do plan on finishing this story, just like all the other ones. I don't know how many times i've said this before, but i'll say it again...continue to review, fave, and alert stories that you like. It's very helpful. But please, please, please...if i'm not getting to a story you want, e-mail me and tell me...or tell me so in your reviews...lists are very nice. I have my own lists...with all the stories people beg me to finish at the top. I want to work on what people want to read. Thanks in advance for any help in that.

Disclaimer: Yeah...you know the drill. I don't own it. Unfortunately.

Fayt insisted on visiting Albel each day. They fell into a sort of routine, with Fayt bringing varying amounts of money, depending on how numb Fayt felt at the moment. Sometimes Fayt would leave the alley so wounded that when he staggered back to his dorm, his friend would immediately call an ambulance to take him to the hospital. And then Fayt would be missing for a few days or weeks while he got stitches or had broken limbs set. Albel would ask around, find out where Fayt was. He was not overly concerned about Fayt and he would always be ready to inflict another injury on him when he recovered.

Fayt took it all without complaint, even when Albel dealt him more pain than was really necessary. Sometimes Albel was in a foul mood and he ignored the meager ten Fayt gave him and would punish Fayt's body with blows worthy of hundreds of dollars.

Fayt completely trusted Albel, even though Albel didn't trust himself. And his fears seemed to be realized the time he almost killed Fayt. Albel was in a particularly bad mood and he continued to beat Fayt long after Fayt's blood was dripping down his arms and face. Then Albel finally backed up ant stared at the bloody mess he had made of Fayt. Fayt shrugged off Albel's halfhearted apology for overdoing it and tried to limp away, but winced at the pain of his injuries.

"Might as well take you to the hospital," Albel grumbled.

"I'm fine," Fayt whispered. But the effort of speaking seemed to drain him. He put his hand over his stomach and doubled over in pain as he coughed and spat blood out onto the pavement.

"No, you're not fine," Albel said firmly. "In your condition, you can't walk back to the dorms and even if you could, your buddies would send you to the hospital as soon as you got there anyway."

"True," Fayt sighed.

Albel helped Fayt limp to his old beat-up car. Fayt's car was newer and would have been nicer to drive, but Albel's car was closer. The care jerked along, making Fayt gasp in pain.

"Why?" Albel growled.

"Why what?" Fayt asked calmly, his hands clutching the seat to steady himself.

"Why aren't you dead yet?"

"Because you haven't killed me," Fayt said matter-of-factly.

"I could have. I've come close."

"I trust you," Fayt said softly. "You'll know when to stop."

"But what if I do kill you."

Fayt shrugged. "If you do, you do."

"If you don't care about living so much, why don't you just commit suicide?"

"I couldn't," Fayt said sadly. "I don't have the willpower. Death would be welcome, but dying scares me. Death would end all the loneliness and emptiness, but each time you hurt me, I have more to live for. You're the only thing keeping me alive."

Albel glanced in his rearview mirror. Fayt looked completely serious. Albel shuddered. He didn't want this responsibility.

"There's the hospital," Fayt said wearily. He lifted his arm to point and then dropped it heavily to his side.

Albel helped Fayt out of the car and half carried the weakening youth inside the building. Fayt was quickly losing a lot of blood. Blood dripped in a trail from the car to the door.

The receptionist took one look at the two boys before pushing the emergency call button. Albel's shirt was soaked with Fayt's blood and Fayt was gasping for breath and clinging to Albel for support.

Fayt was rushed off to Intensive Care. A few nurses tried to send Albel there as well but he pushed them aside growling, "Don't you know a healthy person when you see one?"

They kept Albel for a few moments to ask him about what happened. Albel made up a convincing lie and they seemed to buy it. Then he went back to his dorm room to clean up. There was nothing else he could do. He would simply wait for Fayt to return. There was no way Albel was visiting him in the hospital.

It was months before Fayt returned to campus. He was on crutches and his whole chest was bandaged. Fayt smiled at Albel as he hopped over to where he was standing. Fayt started to rattle off his list of injuries. "Punctured lung, two cracked ribs, broken leg, a cut with ten stitches, an infected-"

"Alright, I get it," Albel growled. "I beat the shit out of you. But now it's all healed, right?"

"Yeah, everything except my leg. But I can still go to school like this." Fayt smiled cheerfully. "So, since I'm still recovering, maybe I'll only pay you five this time."

"hell no," Albel growled. "I'm not beating up on an injured person."

Fayt pouted. "You mean I suffered through all that surgery for nothing?"

"You're a pain freak. I know you liked it."

"But it was so boring just having to lie in bed. You didn't even come visit me," Fayt accused.

"Well, since you liked being miserable and since I've never visited you before, I figured, why start now?"

"True," Fayt sighed. "But it's good if something besides pain excites me. I don't want to die now in case my life gets better. You're helping, I think. I would probably have been happy if you had come seen me."

"And then you would have tried to convince me to beat you up in your hospital bed," Albel muttered irritably. "I know you too well, Fayt."

Fayt laughed, his eyes shining. "Yes, you know me. You're probably one of the few people who understand me. You know I need to have pain to survive, but then again, you're my friend and so you want me to get better too. So I guess the throbbing of my broken leg will tide me over until it heals up. Then you better hurt me again."

Albel rolled his eyes. "You're so weird, Fayt."

Fayt smiled. "I know, but you will let me talk to you anyway. Maybe you need the money. How about I come by tomorrow and pay you to hang out with me?"

Albel let out a long sigh. "Oh, I suppose."

"Good. I'll see you then." Fayt limped off to his class, whistling happily.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Okay, I'm not very happy with this one. I'm not sure if it really connects with chapter 2. Hopefully it does, but if it doesn't, I'll work on it and try to fix it and maybe stick another chapter in there in between.

Disclaimer: I don't own Albel...or Fayt. Really and truly don't.

Albel wasn't exactly sure when he developed affection for Fayt. It had crept slowly into their strange relationship that was almost like friendship. Albel really couldn't say he had had a friend before. But he and Fayt fit together so nicely. Fayt would never be afraid of Albel and Albel would never try to get Fayt help for his problems. They each respected the other's strange inclinations.

It soon became more than a friendship, at least on Albel's part. Albel was at a loss to explain exactly why he felt so strongly about Fayt. Perhaps it was because Fayt was so vulnerable and weak. Or perhaps it was because Fayt liked getting beat up and beating people up was one of Albel's favorite hobbies.

Albel wasn't ashamed of his feelings for Fayt. He had never thought about his sexuality before since no one either male or female had ever captured his interest before. But he found it didn't matter to him as he would still love Fayt no matter what gender Fayt was. Perhaps Albel wasn't really gay except when it came to Fayt. Every other man Albel had ever met made him feel competitive as if he had to prove himself as the toughest guy. But Fayt had already put himself in a submissive position so Albel never had to feel threatened. Also, Fayt was pretty good-looking, with an athletic build and entrancing green eyes. So perhaps it was only natural for Albel to be attracted to him.

Albel doubted Fayt felt the same way about him. Albel could never be considered handsome. Threatening maybe, but never attractive. Besides, Fayt had confessed to feeling emotionally numb. Perhaps if Albel kept helping Fayt overcome his feelings of helplessness, Fayt would eventually grow attached to him out of gratitude. The problem would be that Label did not want to wait that long. The longer Albel thought about it, the more he wanted Fayt. Finally, he came to a compromise.

Fayt walked up to Albel, oblivious to Albel's internal conflict, his face blank. He held out his payment. "I feel so empty today. Do what you will to snap me out of it."

Albel smirked. His plan would come in handy sooner than he expected. He elbowed Fayt in the chest and then knocked the boy onto his back. Albel dropped on top of Fayt, earning him a slight groan as the wind was knocked out of Fayt. Albel ripped at Fayt's clothes carelessly, scratching Fayt in the process.

Fayt's eyes widened. He had not been expecting Albel to ever contemplate stripping him. "Wha-what are you doing?" he asked nervously.

"You'll see," Albel said gruffly. He forced Fayt's legs apart and then roughly thrust himself into Fayt without any preparation.

Fayt let out a slight whimper of pain as his face lit up with delight. "You're raping me. I see. Albel is so clever. I would never have thought of that, but I heard that it is very painful. Albel's such a good friend to think of that."

Albel snorted. 'Most people don't consider people who rape them as "friends". I'm glad I'm still your friend."

"Of course you are," Fayt said soothingly. "I'm not most people. Perhaps you thought I wouldn't like to surrender up something so precious as my virginity, but I'd rather you take it than anyone else."

"Yeah, yeah," Albel muttered irritably. "Does it feel good, Fayt?"

"Yeah, it hurts good," Fayt said happily, twisting beneath Albel to find a more painful angle.

"I'm just getting started," Albel hissed, his voice deep with lust.

Fayt let out a hoarse cry as Albel began thrusting into him. "Ahh-harder, Albel! God, it feels good. Please, harder, faster!"

Albel quickly set up a punishing pace. Fayt writhed appealingly beneath him. His face was flushed as he panted heavily. Suddenly Fayt hissed as his whole body arched against Albel. "Why does it feel so good?" Fayt whimpered.

"You tell me," Albel growled. "You're the one who thinks pain feels good."

"Its past pain," Fayt panted, whining as his hips bucked back against Albel's thrusts. "It feels so good and it isn't even painful anymore."

Albel was stunned as he stared at Fayt incredulously. "You mean you're not even getting off on the pain but just on the sex?"

"Don't talk!" Fayt begged. "You're slowing down. Please, faster! I want, I need more!"

Albel obeyed Fayt's pleas as his felt warmth spread through his heart. Fayt wanted him and not just the pain he could give.

Fayt's body jerked upward with a shriek and he fell back against the ground panting hard. Albel got in a few more violent thrusts inside of Fayt before he too was spent. He collapsed on top of his lover, who gazed at Albel adoringly.

Albel pulled out of Fayt with a soft groan. He stood and began slipping his pants back on. Fayt whimpered. "Albel, don't leave yet. Stay with me."

"Fayt, we cannot lie in the middle of the alley all day," Albel said firmly. "I know you're probably worn out, but you can sleep in my car."

"But Albel-" Fayt whined.

"No buts, Fayt. I know you want to snuggle or whatever you call it. It's only natural. But my car is much warmer and that way nobody will run you over or see you butt-naked."

Fayt scowled. "I don't care who sees me naked."

"Well, I do. If you have sex with me, I'm the only one who sees you naked. You understand?'

"Yes," Fayt said cheerfully.

Albel pulled Fayt to his feet. Fayt immediately slumped against Albel, burying his face in Albel's shoulder. "Mmmn, you smell so nice," Fayt said happily. "And your shirt's so cozy."

"Get off me,' Albel growled. "You can sleep in the car."

"No, I want to sleep right here." Fayt wrapped his arms around Albel's waist.

"Goddamn, Fayt," Albel snarled. "Pull yourself together. I'm tired too but I can at least walk."

Fayt whimpered. "I've been bad. Maybe you should punish me."

"Let's not start this again," Albel grumbled.

Fayt sighed. "My legs are asleep. Carry me, please?"

With an irritated sigh, Albel slung Fayt over one shoulder and carried him the few feet to the car before roughly tossing Fayt into the passenger seat. Albel walked around and sat in the driver's seat.

Before Albel could say anything else, Fayt was crawling into his lap. Fayt kissed Albel's neck, his cheeks, his forehead. "God, you're so amazing," Fayt whispered.

Albel rolled his eyes and pinched Fayt's butt. Fayt let out a startled squeak and turned red.

Albel snickered. "it looks like I just can't keep my hand off you."

Fayt blinked, his passion cooling into affection. "Well, I'll be happy to stay with you for a little while." Fayt settled into Albel's lap and leaned against him, yawing sleepily. "You can touch me all you want, but try not to wake me up, okay?"

"Alright," Albel said grudgingly.

Fayt smiled. "You make a great friend and a great lover. Good-night, Albel." He snuggled into Albel's chest and drifted off to sleep.


End file.
